Thousands of daily journeys made on a main road across the Somerset Levels will be protected thanks to new flood prevention measures.

The Somerset Rivers Authority (SRA) is making improvements to the A372 at Pibsbury Corner, just east of Langport, which has been prone to flooding in the past.

The stretch of road lies close to the River Yeo and the Ablake pumping station, and includes a sharp blind bend - making it a hazard for motorists for have to negotiate standing water.

SRA chairman John Osman said that improvements to the local drainage system would protect nearby homes and ensure greater safety for the 8,000 vehicles which travel on this stretch on a daily basis.

The work being carried out will protect thousands of vehicles. From left, Somerset County Council engineering technician Anthony Warren and sub-contractors Andrew Phillips, Andrew Emery and Paul Hooper (Image: Somerset Rivers Authority)

He said: "It's well known that Pibsbury Corner has flooded regularly over the years, and that can make things hazardous for up to 8,000 vehicles a day, as drivers are forced to negotiate their way around the blind corner there. Nearby properties have also been affected.

"So I'm very pleased to see the SRA reducing the risks of flooding, improving one of Somerset’s most important roads, and making people’s lives safer and easier."

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The A372 stretches between Bridgwater town centre and the Podimore roundabout north of Yeovil, and is one of the main haulage routes across the Somerset Levels.

The work being carried out by Skanska on behalf of the SRA will see more than 135 metres of new pipes installed, along with new gullies and headwalls to ensure water is efficiently taken away from the road.

New pipes, gullies and headwalls are being installed at Pibsbury Corner (Image: Somerset Rivers Authority)

The road will also be re-profiled to move the low point on the inside of the bend where water has been collecting.

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